Folder with enhanced paper binding fixtures

Abstract

A folder having at least one paper binding fixture affixed to it. Further, the paper binding fixture can be capable of being opened and closed such that when opened sheets of paper can be placed on a male protrusion and when closed the sheets of paper can be bound by releasably coupling the male protrusions to a female opening. Further, the paper binding fixture can have enhanced safety benefits that substantially reduce the risk of injury to a user. Also, the paper binding fixture can reduce the risk of tearing sheets of paper bound by it.

1 . A folder having at least one binding fixture, comprising:
 a folder;   an at least one binding fixture coupled to the folder, the at least one binding fixture comprising an at least one male protrusion and an at least one female opening;   the at least one male protrusion being constructed such that paper with holes in it are capable of being placed on the at least one male protrusion; and   wherein the at least one male protrusion is received by and releasably coupled to the at least one female opening such that paper is releasably retained by the at least one binding fixture coupled to the folder.   
     
     
         2 . The folder of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one binding fixture is designed to substantially reduce the risk of injuring a user and damaging the retained paper. 
     
     
         3 . The folder of  claim 1 , wherein the folder is further comprising:
 at least one hinge that enables the folder to at least one of bend and have a three-dimensional shape.   
     
     
         4 . The folder of  claim 1 , wherein the folder is further comprising:
 a plurality of hinges segmenting the folder into a first region, a second region, and a third region;   the first region and second region being substantially planer in shape; and   the third region being located between the first and second region and extending at an angle to at least one of the first region and the second region.   
     
     
         5 . The folder of  claim 4 , wherein the third region is further comprising a plurality of surfaces forming a “W” shape with the first and second region. 
     
     
         6 . The folder of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one binding fixture is at least one of releasably coupled to the folder, permanently affixed to the folder, and semi-permanently affixed to the folder. 
     
     
         7 . The folder of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one binding fixture is at least one of semi-permanently affixed to the folder and permanently affixed to the folder to reduce the risk injury due to swallowing the at least one binding fixture. 
     
     
         8 . The folder of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one male protrusion is releasably coupled to the at least one female opening by at least one of (i) a frictional interaction of at least one of the male protrusion and female opening, (ii) plastic deformation of at least one of the male protrusion and female opening, and (iii) elastic deformation of at least one of the male protrusion and female opening. 
     
     
         9 . The folder of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one binding fixture is further comprising:
 an at least one male protrusion region wherein the at least one male protrusion is located;   an at least one female receiving region wherein the at least one female opening is located; and   a bending region located between the at least one male protrusion region and female receiving region, wherein the bending region deforms when the at least one male protrusion is received by and releasably coupled to the at least one female opening.   
     
     
         10 . The folder of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of:
 (i) the male protrusion and female opening are designed to fail such that the binding fixture no longer retains paper;   (ii) the bending region is designed to fail such that the binding fixture no longer retains paper; and   wherein the failure such that the binding fixture no longer retains paper is designed to reduce the risk injury due to swallowing pieces of the at least one binding fixture.   
     
     
         11 . The folder of  claim 1 , wherein the male protrusion is constructed such that it does not include sharp surfaces and edges; and
 wherein the male protrusion does not include sharp surfaces and edges to at least one of (i) reduce the risk of injury to a user and (ii) reduce the stress concentration on paper retained by the binding fixture.   
     
     
         12 . The folder of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the male protrusion is further comprising geometric variations on its surface and female opening is further comprising geometric variations on its surface n. 
     
     
         13 . The folder of  claim 12 , wherein the geometric variations interact such that male protrusion and female opening releasably couple. 
     
     
         14 . The folder of  claim 12 , wherein the geometric variations interact such that the male protrusion and female opening can releasably couple at various offsets. 
     
     
         15 . The folder of  claim 1 , wherein the folder and the at least one binding fixture are fabricated from at least one of a recyclable material and recycled material to provide the benefit of reducing waste. 
     
     
         16 . The folder of  claim 15 , where the material is at least one of a plastics, polyethylene, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), ultra low molecular weight polyethylene (ULMWPE or PE-WAX), high molecular weight polyethylene (HMWPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), high density cross-linked polyethylene (HDXLPE), cross-linked polyethylene (PEX or XLPE), medium density polyethylene (MDPE), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), and very low density polyethylene (VLDPE).